The Angel
by Pt29646
Summary: Hoss is attacked by a mountain lion. Hurt, alone, and on foot, he must make his way home to the Ponderosa.


Hoss had hoped to make it home before dark, but the sun was going behind the mountains and he was more than half a day's ride away. He decided to make camp and began looking for a clearing that would do. He thought he'd found one, and dismounted. Chub wandered over to a grassy spot and began grazing. Hoss was gathering firewood when he heard a roar. There was a startled whinny, and Chub went past him at a gallop. Hoss started to go after him, but gave up after a few feet. His horse was simply too fast, and he was in danger. He turned and saw the mountain lion crouched on the rocks above him.

Hoss breathed a silent prayer, and drew his Colt. He knew it wouldn't stop the animal, but it might slow him down. As the big cat prepared to spring, Hoss aimed and fired, hitting it in mid - air. The shot deflected the lion a little, but not enough to keep it from landing on Hoss and knocking him down. He wrestled with the wounded animal, and managed to protect his was a sharp agony as it bit into his arm, and then it was over. The lion relaxed, and Hoss knew it was dead. He tossed it away, and staggered to his feet. He took a few steps and then sank down on the ground. At least I'm still alive, he thought. He examined his arm, and shuddered when he saw the bite was deep and bleeding. He tore his sleeve off and folded it into a bandage. Then he took his neckerchief and managed to tie it in place with his left hand. He sat still for a minute to catch his breath. I wish Adam were here, he thought. He always wears a clean shirt and doesn't mind tearing it to bind scrapes. It was the first time in weeks that he'd wanted the company of his older brother, and Hoss smiled.

He considered what he had with him - matches, his pocketknife, his watch were all in his pockets. It wasn't much, but it might be enough to survive the walk home. He looked around and decided not to camp there. Predators would be coming soon to eat the dead mountain lion, and he didn't want to waste his bullets on them. He got his feet and began to walk down the trail towards home. Home, he thought. Pa, Adam, and Joe would be sitting around the table about now. Hop Sing would be bringing platters of food from the kitchen. He wondered if there would be fried chicken - no, that was usually reserved for Sunday. Well, it didn't matter - Hop Sing could make anything taste good, except cheese. Hoss hated cheese, but he was so hungry he'd consider eating it right now.

He didn't know how far he'd walked, but night had fallen, and he was too tired to go any farther when he decided to make camp. Hoss cut a pine branch, and swept clear a place for a campfire. It didn't take him long to make a fire, and he looked around. There were plenty of trees, and he thought about building a shelter. His arm hurt too much, and Hoss decided he'd be fine in the open. He sat at the fire, feeding it, and staring up at the night sky.

Pa and Adam had taught him about the stars. From Ben he'd learned how to use the stars to travel at night while Adam had told him stories about the constellations and how they got their names. Adam. He thought about his brother. Adam had been more than his brother. He'd been Hoss's first teacher, a protector and guide. Pa had once told the story of how a baby Hoss had taken his first steps into his brother's waiting arms. It was Adam who'd taught him his letters, Adam who'd shown him how to set an animal trap, Adam who had encouraged him, and, finally, Adam who had hurt him beyond bearing.

Regan had taken his heart - he'd known she had a past - Adam had seen to that, but he hadn't cared. He'd loved her and believed he could change her. In the end, though, he'd beaten Adam, and Regan had left him. He'd apologized to his brother, knowing that Adam had wanted only to protect him from Regan, but he wanted to be alone. When Pa said he needed someone to go take a look at a bull he'd seen advertised, Hoss had jumped at the chance. Joe and Adam had offered to go with him, but Hoss had refused. He lay by the fire, fever from the bite burning through him, and wished he could see his brothers and Pa now.

 **...**

Adam sat up straight in bed. He'd dreamed they were at Ash Hollow, and Inger had just pushed him into a corner and placed the baby in his arms. "Stay there and take care of your brother," she said before turning away and picking up a gun. It was just a dream, but it had seemed so real. He lay back down and closed his eyes - so very tired. The days had been long and filled with extra work for all of them with Hoss gone. He'd been hurt when Hoss refused his company on the trip, but he'd understood. Hoss needed to be alone to heal - more like Adam himself than Joe who needed his family when he was hurt. Adam tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn't. Almost before he realized it, he was throwing back the covers and getting up. It was still dark when he went out to the barn, saddled Sport, and rode away. He left a note to his father on the table, saying he had to take care of his brother.

He thought he knew the route Hoss would take to come home, and he followed it. The sun was high in the sky when he saw Chub grazing on the side of the trail, and he rode up to him. The horse knickered when he saw his stablemate and recognized a familiar voice and hand.

"Hoss! Hoss!" Adam shouted. There was no answer, and Adam pulled his gun and fired into the air three times. He waited, listening for a shout or answering fire, but there was nothing. "Chub, where'd you leave Hoss?" Adam asked.

He mounted Sport and began to search along the trail, pulling Chub along behind.

 **...**

Hoss opened his eyes. The sun was rising over the mountains, and his fire had died. His arm hurt, and Hoss sat up and unwrapped it. In the dim light he could see the bite looked ugly and red streaks were beginning to form. He sighed - it was infected. Today he had to find water to drink and to clean out the bite. He needed more help than he was likely to find along the trail, and he knew what he had to do. He began to pray, "Lord, I'm in trouble and I need your help. Please guide me today and help me find my way home. Amen." He stood up and began walking.

As he walked, he thought about his mother. Adam had told him about her, always calling her "Mama." He'd never called Marie that, not even the French "Maman" that Hoss and Joe had used. Whenever he referred to Elizabeth, Adam called her "Mother."

Pa told him Inger had been tall - almost as tall as he - but she'd been as slender as an aspen with the sky blue eyes her son had inherited. She had been kind and gentle, and Ben said he thought she'd loved Adam from the first moment she saw him. She'd wanted a house full of children, but she'd lived long enough to have only Hoss. He sighed, wishing he known her.

"I'm right here, my son."

The voice was so soft and low that Hoss thought he'd imagined it. He glanced to his side to see a tall blonde woman walking beside him. He stopped and stared at her. She smiled at him, the most loving smile he'd ever seen on a woman's face. She was lovely, and she had the sweetest expression. "Who-" he started to ask, and then he knew. "Mama?"

"Yes, my precious one. Come, we must keep walking. Your brother is coming for you, and we are on our way to meet him." She touched his wounded arm, and the pain left him. She was holding his hand, and leading him down the trail.

They walked for hours it seemed, and Hoss's arm was burning. "Mama, my arm hurts." He didn't mean to complain, and Inger turned to him.

"Mama knows it hurts, my dearling, but we must keep going. We will meet your brother and he will take are of you. He always has, ever since Ash Hollow." She kissed his hand, and he felt such comfort.

The sun was high in the sky when Hoss heard three gunshots. He reached for his own gun to return the signal, but his holster was empty. He'd forgotten his gun at his campsite.

Tears filled his eyes, and he looked at Inger. She smiled. "Don't worry, Erik. Adam is close now."

Hoss was so tired, and his feet were so heavy. His head ached and his arm burned and he was thirsty and he just wanted to lie down and sleep. He was stumbling along and falling, and Inger helped him up each time. Now she was pulling him along, big as he was, and he couldn't let go of her hand. Mama wouldn't let him go. He fell once more, and this time, he couldn't get up. Inger sat beside him and pulled him into her arms. Somehow he was in her lap, his head resting on her shoulder. He felt warm and loved. "I'm sorry, Mama, I can't go anymore."

"It's all right, darling. Adam is here," she whispered. She kissed his eyes closed, and he slept.

 **...**

Adam rode up the trail and saw Hoss lying on the ground. He let out a relieved sigh. Trust Hoss to find a spot and take a nap. "Hoss, wake up." The big man didn't move, and Adam shook his head. He'd have to shake him awake. He dismounted, and grabbed his canteen. If Hoss had been walking for a while, he'd be thirsty. He squatted next to his brother, and put his hand on his shoulder. Heat radiated off him, and Adam realized Hoss was sick. He felt his forehead - it was burning up. Adam looked around - how had Hoss gotten this far, he wondered. He saw the bloody bandage and unwrapped it. The sight of the mountain lion's bite almost made him sick. It was infected, and red streaks radiated out from it. "Hoss. Hoss, wake up for me, Hoss. It's time to wake up." Adam's voice was gentle.

Hoss opened his eyes and smiled when he saw his brother. He reached out, and, for some reason, Adam was reminded of the toddler who'd walked into his arms. "Mama said you'd come."

Adam pulled Hoss against his shoulder and held the canteen to his brother's lips, helping him drink. "I'm here, boy, and you're going to be all right."

 **...**

Days later Paul Martin sat at Hoss's bedside and unwrapped his arm. The streaks were gone, and the wound was healing. "It looks good, Hoss - it's healing and you're going to keep your arm."

Ben, Adam, and Joe were standing on the other side of the bed, and they all three let out relieved sighs at the same time. Paul and Hoss looked at them and laughed, and Paul continued, "I'll never know how you made it as far as you did on the trail. You'd have died if Adam hadn't found you when he did. You must have had an angel watching over you."

Hoss looked at the dagguerotype of his mother and said, "I did, Paul, all the way."


End file.
